What is so powerful about the written word?
It can hold a strength that’s perplexing, can’t it?
Ink blotches on little squares of paper can store ideas that reach across time and change nations.
I mean, Ann Lamott could have only shared her ideas on writing with a friend. Thank goodness she wrote them down. Now aspiring writers trade notes on the writing life.
Sun Tsu could have told his ideas to a friend. But he wrote his thoughts down too. And even today his ideas influence modern war and strategy.
The apostle Paul could also have kept his thoughts to himself. But he wrote letters. Letters that were kept. And now we have his theological wisdom to refer back to even today.
Writing ideas and thoughts down gives them a degree of permanence.
But here’s the thing.
We can use this magic with our kids too.
Seriously, try it sometime.
Instead of griping and exasperating them, leave them a note.
“Remember, no TV until your homework is done. I love you. -Dad”
Or:
“I saw how hard you worked at basketball practice today. I am proud of you and I love you. -Dad”
This is a great parenting tool to keep at the ready.
Sometimes nothing we say is as effective as the written word.
-Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk (Amazon)
